中远红外高功率量子级联激光技术研究进展

Recent progress of mid-and-far infrared high power quantum cascade laser technology

摘要:

量子级联激光器具有体积小，重量轻，波长可调谐，以及光源能够覆盖中远红外和太赫兹波段等特点，使其在痕量气体检测、定向红外对抗、自由空间光通讯以及红外成像和光谱等领域有着广泛的应用。自从1994年第一个量子级联激光器问世以来，大功率、高电光效率以及室温下连续工作的量子级联激光器一直是人们追求的目标。首先介绍了量子级联激光器的有源层设计、波导设计和器件散热设计方面的研究进展；其次重点讨论了4 μm~5 μm 中波红外和 8 μm~12 μm长波红外高功率室温下连续量子级联激光器的发展和演变、以及大功率脉冲量子级联激光器研究情况；最后简要介绍了大功率量子级联激光器芯片的外延制备技术。

Abstract:

Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) owns the characteristics of small volume, light weight, tuned wavelength, and the emission light can cover from infrared to terahertz, which makes it have the widespread applications in the trace gas sensing, directed infrared countermeasures, free space optical communications, as well as infrared imaging and spectroscopy fields. Since the first invented QCL in 1994, high power, high wall plug efficiency, and continuous-wave QCL at room temperature has always been the goal of people’s research. Firstly, this review introduces the recent progress in the designs of active region, waveguide, and heat dissipation. Secondly, the development and evolution of mid-wave infrared (4 μm~5 μm) and long-wave infrared (8 μm~12 μm) high power room temperature continuous-wave QCL, and high power pulsed QCL are mainly discussed. Finally, the epitaxy technology of high power QCL chip is briefly introduced.